Playing in the Asia Cup is surely a momentous occasion for a lot of the UAE players. For nearly half the squad, this is their first taste of playing in front of a TV audience. A few of them have even gone the Harsha Bhogle way to make a few necessary and timely adjustments to their appearances. It instigates a few light-hearted digs from team members.

Despite losing three games in a row, there is an unmistakable joy in the camp of just being out there and playing in the tournament. That seems success enough for a team that has mix of cricketers from Pakistan and India predominantly.

A lot of them have alternate jobs, a few are employed by firms just because of their cricketing skills. They are marketing executives, bankers and cricketers rolled into one. They are also Indians, Sri Lankans and Pakistanis rolled into one squad of UAE. Most of the squad members have travelled from India or Pakistan to make it as professionals. It keeps their cricketing thirst alive while also helping UAE's cricketing cause.

Two such players to make a move from Pakistan are Shaiman Anwar, the middle-order batsman and Mohammad Naveed, the pacer.

"When I first came to UAE, the primary aim was to earn money. I had to think about my home, I had to think about myself. Then cricket," says Naveed, who played a lot of tape-ball cricket in Pakistan.

"I played first class cricket in Pakistan. I came to play in UAE with a sponsorship. Then I came back, went again and then came back. Then decided to get a permanent visa here because I was getting a good opportunity here. I wasn't getting a good opportunity in Pakistan," says Anwar. "We all have our own responsibilities. Some have their own, some have families. It depends on how your time is. Everybody will suffer at some time. That's what happened with me too. So then I decided, I have to earn a bit too through playing cricket."

And when they face off against countries that they left, there is a certain sense of accomplishment. Says Anwar gleefully: "Last match, they were doing some show where they were trying to figure out why this guy went off (from Pakistan). He had performed here as well, he performed there as well but the Board didn't know.

"If someone has the highest score amongst associate nations, then there will be a lot of questions right?" chimes in Mohammad Naveed or Naughty Naveed as Shaiman calls him. Their camaraderie is unmissable. If Naveed points out Anwar's record, the latter is quick to point out that Naveed is the second highest wicket-taker in T20Is for UAE.

The focus on their own achievement acts as a back up to a point made by skipper Amjad Javed later in a separate chat. "As a captain, I'm really happy that they are not discussing anything about Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India or Bangladesh. When they come on the ground, they are not discussing about the other teams. They are talking about their own game, their own skills. Those who are sitting outside, they are really motivating and backing them. That's the beauty," he says.

All three are certain that the times have changed for UAE cricketers. They aren't dependent on outside income to make a living. Cricket is sufficient enough."Apart from me and Ahmed Raza, we are working and then coming to practice, all the others are really professional now. They are just playing cricket in Dubai," says Javed.

"We get a lot of support from the sponsors, from the team owners. We are given a free hand. There's 100% support. They tell us that our first job is to go and play for UAE," says Anwar, while Naveed jokes that there is no way he would get a job in a bank if not for his bowling. "It's very flexible," he adds.

It helps to have a lot of these professionals coming in from other countries feels Javed. "When they represent UAE, its much easier for us to cope with the pressure. Because there is a lot of pressure in domestic cricket as well, there are lot of cricketers coming in from Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, so the pressure level of international cricket is reduced now. Before we didn't have that quality of cricketers coming from abroad. Now the quality, intensity of the domestic cricket has gone up. Every game we have the same sort of energy that we are seeing here. That's why it is really easy," he says.

The eclectic nature of the team is an avenue of amusement for Javed. "We are having fun in the hotel room, sitting in the room, having a chat, watching some comedy shows. We watch Punjabi shows and it is a lot of fun. They will be having fun. That's the environment we have in the team right now."

"For us everyone is the same. No Indian, no Pakistani, no Sri Lankan. Everyone is the same. When we don the UAE kit, then we don't think about all these things," says Naveed.

Even that comes from the domestic set-up feels Naveed. "When one team hires a cricketer, they don't hire from just one country. There are many cricketers from Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. When they keep them in the accommodation, they will all be staying together. One Indian-Pakistani, one Sri Lankan-Pakistani and one Sri Lankan- Indian. So the communication is very easy. The learn each others languages.

"I can speak little bit Arabic, a little bit Pashto. I'm from Pakistan, I can speak Punjabi and little words of Sinhalese. It is very good. When you go back to the dressing room, instead of talking about cricket you are learning different languages! That helps you, man!" laughs Javed, whose spirits haven't taken a dip despite the losses.

He's as exuberant while talking as he is while bowling. The energy is infectious and he's loving that his team is making the 'bigger' teams hop around. "You can see, we beat all the qualifiers and then you saw Bangladesh, Sri Lanka - they are struggling against us. Now they will be making plans against us. Don't give 130 (against UAE), it will be difficult to chase!" he gushes.

It is evident that they are loving all the attention gained after their performances. Many a interview is done with the same enthusiasm. Pressure? What pressure asks Naveed. "If people are coming to watch, then who do they usually come to watch? A hero right? Then I also feel good that I'm a hero now. Tomorrow I'll come on TV, on the news. People back home will be watching, friends will be watching," laughs Naveed.

For the skipper it is the attention gained from the peers that is thrilling. There was a lot coming their way from Sri Lanka in particular after their opening game.

"Malinga, after the game was really surprised by the way we played. He was giving me tips. 'Come on man, you guys bowled really well' he said," says Javed. "As a bowler, he was saying that the bowlers need more variations especially in T20 cricket."

But Javed is a wise man. He takes the advice but doesn't want to implement them straight away. "I know all my players will be going back and doing the same stuff that they are doing here. But slowly we can put it in their minds, when they are coming for the training sessions. Slowly we can talk with them. At the moment if I tell them, then it will not happen."

Another Sri Lankan endorsement is a cause of much joy for Javed. "Rangana Herath gave me a bat to get signatures from all the players. He's very happy man. He really appreciates since the first day he saw us when we played against them. That's a really big motivation for all of us. I told each and every player 'Look at this bat. This is Rangana Herath's.' I should really thank him. It's a big motivation for all of us," he says.

"They are signing a bat given by Rangana Herath! Come on now, he's a world-class left-arm spinner," he bursts out, as the enormity of the incident hits him again.

But Javed's Sri Lankan connection goes a little further back. Chandika Hathurasinghe, the current coach of Bangladesh, was the coach of UAE a few years ago. "The best person. He's the main person who changed this team and especially me," says Javed, who credits Hathurasinghe for changing him from an off-spinner to a fast bowler at the age of 24.

"He has a very good brain. He did not allow anyone who doesn't understand cricket to come and interfere with the team. That's the best thing. It is very different from when ten people are talking to you where only one person knows cricket. And the other nine don't but you have to respect them. At that time when I was 24, I was really confused at times. I was sitting quietly when he came and said 'Amjad, you have full license. Do whatever you want.' That's really motivational from your coach, man. And same thing I learned from him, I'm telling the boys," he says.

Even as the chat wears on, there are net bowlers clicking selfies with Javed. He too is a star now. So is Anwar who proudly recalls that he was the first person from UAE to score a World Cup century. And Naveed who is pleased that he clocked 147 kph in the tournament. Every small step is an achievement for this bunch. And memories for life. They are sharing these simple joys with persons from varied backgrounds on an everyday basis. And just like that, cricket has brought them all a little closer.